[Clinical Outcomes of Transurethral Water Vapor Energy Therapy with Rezumᵀᴹ System].

We carefully reviewed and evaluated the efficacy of transurethral water vapor energy therapy (WAVE) with Rezumᵀᴹ system for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Between April and September 2023, 41 patients received WAVE under local anesthesia as day surgery at the outpatient department in our institution. The mean age as of operation was 78.

Prognostic Impact of Malignant Wounds in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Malignant wounds are lesions caused by metastasis from distant primary cancers or by direct invasion of the cutaneous structures of a primary cancer, and are most common in patients with breast or head and neck cancers. Malignant wounds not only cause physical symptoms, but also affect survival. Recognizing prognosis in terminal-stage cancer patients is necessary for both patients and health care providers.

A Novel Objective Measure for Terminal Delirium: Activity Scores Measured by a Sheet-Type Sensor.

Context: Delirium is a significant concern in end-of-life care. Continuous monitoring of agitation levels using objective methods may have advantages over existing measurement scales.

Objectives: To examine whether an objective measure of activity scores measured using a sheet-type non-wearable sensor (Nemuri SCAN [NSCAN]) was correlated with agitation levels measured using the modified Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) in terminally ill patients with cancer.

Associations of nutrition impact symptoms with dietary intake and eating-related distress in patients with advanced cancer.

Background & Aims: There is no definition of nutrition impact symptoms (NISs) in cancer care. Moreover, there is a lack of evidence on the associations of NISs with dietary intake and eating-related distress (ERD) in advanced cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the associations of NISs with dietary intake and ERD in patients with advanced cancer.

Symptoms and Prognoses of Patients With Breast Cancer and Malignant Wounds in Palliative Care Units: The Multicenter, Prospective, Observational EASED Study.

Background: This study sought to investigate the symptoms and prognoses of patients with breast cancer and malignant wounds in the palliative care unit setting.

Methods: This study was a sub-group analysis of a multicenter, prospective, observational study. Patients admitted to 23 palliative care units in Japan between January and December 2017 were enrolled.

Elements of End-of-Life Discussions Associated With Patients' Reported Outcomes and Actual End-of-Life Care in Patients With Pretreated Lung Cancer.

Background: End-of-life discussions for patients with advanced cancer are internationally recommended to ensure consistency of end-of-life care with patients' values. This study examined the elements of end-of-life discussions associated with end-of-life care.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective observational study among consecutive patients with pretreated non-small cell lung cancer after the failure of first-line chemotherapy.

Difficulty swallowing and food bolus obstruction in advanced cancer: association with the cachexia-related quality of life.

Background: Swallowing disorders including difficulty swallowing and food bolus obstruction, result in reduced dietary intake-a common occurrence that leads to cachexia in patients with advanced cancer. This study examined the effects of swallowing difficulty and food bolus obstruction on cachexia-related quality of life (QOL).

Methods: This study secondarily analyzed data from a self-reported questionnaire survey of adult patients with advanced cancer at 11 palliative care services.

Continuous Deep Sedation for Psycho-Existential Suffering: A Multicenter Nationwide Study.

There is ongoing debate on whether continuous deep sedation (CDS) for psycho-existential suffering is appropriate. We aimed to (1) clarify clinical practice of CDS for psycho-existential suffering and (2) assess its impact on patients' survival. Advanced cancer patients admitted to 23 palliative care units in 2017 were consecutively enrolled.

Impact of taste/smell disturbances on dietary intakes and cachexia-related quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.

Purpose: Taste and smell are used to enjoy meals; however, impairments of these sensory perceptions seriously impact health and eating habits. This study is aimed at investigating the impact of taste and smell disturbances on dietary intakes and cachexia-related quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: Using a self-report questionnaire, we surveyed patients with advanced cancer undergoing treatment at 11 palliative care centers.

Development and validation of questionnaires for eating-related distress among advanced cancer patients and families.

Background: Eating-related distress (ERD) is one type of psychosocial distress among advanced cancer patients and family caregivers. Its alleviation is a key issue in palliative care; however, there is no validated tool for measuring ERD.

Methods: The purpose of this study was to validate tools for evaluating ERD among patients and family caregivers.

Prognostic Awareness and Discussions of Incurability in Patients with Pretreated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Caregivers: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Although patients with advanced cancer often have poor prognostic awareness, the most effective communication approach for improving prognostic awareness is unclear. In addition, the association between prognostic awareness and preferences for future medical treatment remains unexplored.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of consecutive patients with advanced or post-operative recurrent non-small cell lung cancer whose disease had progressed after first-line chemotherapy, and their caregivers.

Beliefs and Perceptions About Parenteral Nutrition and Hydration by Advanced Cancer Patients.

Background: The beliefs and perceptions of parenteral nutrition and hydration (PNH) by advanced cancer patients have not been elucidated.

Objectives: To clarify their beliefs and perceptions and to explore the relationships between their beliefs and perceptions and cachexia stages.

Design/setting/subjects: A questionnaire survey of advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care across Japan.

Current practice of pharmacological treatment for hyperactive delirium in terminally ill cancer patients: results of a nationwide survey of Japanese palliative care physicians and liaison psychiatrists.

Objective: The objective of this survey was to identify areas where doctors have divergent practices in pharmacological treatment for hyperactive delirium in terminally ill patients with cancer.

Methods: We conducted a survey of Japanese palliative care physicians and liaison psychiatrists. Inquiries were made regarding: (i) choice of drug class in the first-line treatment, (ii) administration methods of the first-line antipsychotic treatment, (iii) starting dose of antipsychotics in the first line treatment and maximum dose of antipsychotics in refractory delirium, and (iv) choice of treatment when the first-line haloperidol treatment failed.

Physicians' Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Hypoactive Delirium in The Last Days of Life.

Context: The perspective toward hypoactive delirium in the last days of life could be different among physicians.

Objectives: To clarify the attitudes, beliefs, and opinions of palliative care physicians and liaison psychiatrists toward hypoactive delirium in the last days of life and to explore the association among these factors.

Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 1667 physicians who were either certified palliative care specialists or liaison psychiatrists.

Private or shared room? A nationwide questionnaire survey on bereaved family members' perceptions of where patients spend their last days.

Background: Where patients receive end-of-life care influences their quality of life.

Objectives: To clarify the effects of staying in a private or shared room in inpatient hospices.

Design: A part of a Japanese multicentre survey to evaluate the quality of end-of-life care.

Family experience of palliative sedation therapy: proportional vs. continuous deep sedation.

Purpose: Some patients experience intense symptoms refractory to intensive palliative care, and palliative sedation is sometimes used. Palliative sedation may be classified into proportional and continuous deep sedation (CDS). The primary aim of this study was to compare family experience between families of patients who received proportional or CDS.

A Nationwide Survey of Bereaved Family Members' Perception of the Place Patients Spent Their Final Days: Is the Inpatient Hospice Like or Unlike a Home? Why?

During end-of-life care, the place in which the patients spend time influences their quality of life. To clarify what it means to spend last days at home and in inpatient hospice. This study was a part of a nationwide multicenter questionnaire survey of bereaved family members of cancer patients evaluating the quality of end-of-life care in Japan.

Patient-perceived symptomatic benefits of olanzapine treatment for nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancer who received palliative care through consultation teams: a multicenter prospective observational study.

Purpose: To examine the safety, effectiveness, and patient-perceived benefit of treatment with olanzapine for nausea and vomiting (N/V) in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study in a tertiary care setting (Trial registration number: UMIN000020493, date of registration: 2016/1/12). We measured the following: average nausea in the last 24 h using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS: range 0-10) at baseline and day 2, patient-perceived treatment benefit (based on a 5-point verbal scale), and adverse events (AEs; using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4).

Comparison between patient-reported and clinician-reported outcomes: Validation of the Japanese version of the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for staff.

Objectives: The goal of palliative and supportive care is to improve patients' quality of life (QoL). Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are the gold standard for the assessment of QoL and symptoms; however, when self-reporting is complicated, PROMs are often substituted with proxy-reported outcome measures, such as clinician-reported outcome measures. The objective of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) for staff (IPOS-Staff).

Reduction of Ethynylenes to Vinylenes in a Macrocyclic π-Extended Thiophene Skeleton Under McMurry Coupling Conditions.

McMurry coupling is one of the most useful and convenient tools for the preparation of π-conjugated molecules. However, for the synthesis of strained macrocycles containing ethynylene linkages, reduction of ethynylene to vinylene linkage sometimes took place. Especially, for the synthesis of macrocyclic π-extended thiophene hexamers using McMurry coupling of dialdehyde composed of three thienylene, two ethynylene, and two formyl groups, reduction of ethynylenes to vinylenes often takes place to produce unique products in a one-pot procedure, depending on very small steric and electronic effects such as reaction temperature, amounts of titanium reagent, and substituents of thiophene hexamers.